The Italian
Page 296
Life’s good. It’s better than good. Amazing.
We’ll go back to Italy one day, but not yet.
Enrico wants all of his children to have this childhood. He misses Italy desperately, but not at the cost of his children’s safety and freedom.
He gets it now. He understands his father and why he did what he did. It took a long time, and he’s read that letter his father left for him many times over. But I know that, on many levels, he’s grateful that he didn’t know the finer details back then. He’s grateful that his father stayed with his mother for the sake of his children, and to be there for her.
We’re both grateful that we survived what we did.
Enrico’s eyes meet mine across the park and he says goodbye to his friends before he walks over to me. He bends and kisses me softly, and then takes my hand in his.
I look up to the little boy on his father’s shoulders.
“Ciao, amori miei! Sei pronto per tornare a casa, Romeo?” I ask. Translation: Hello, my loves. Are you ready to go home, Romeo?
“Si, mamma.” He nods.
Enrico reaches down and puts his hand over my stomach.
“Ti ho detto che sei bellissima oggi?” he asks. Translation: Did I tell you that you look beautiful today?
I giggle as I kiss his big beautiful lips.
“Una o due volte.” Translation: Once or twice.
We speak Italian at home now. It’s Romeo’s first language.
We make our way to the car.
“Dobbiamo fermarci all’ufficio postale andando verso casa. Il mio pacco è arrivato,” Enrico says. Translation: We have to stop off at the post office on the way home. My parcel has arrived.
I smirk. “Cosa hai comprato?” Translation: What did you buy now?
He gives me a sexy wink as he loads Romeo into the SUV.
Enrico still buys designer everything, he just does it online now.
I’m the best dressed woman in Australia.
You can take the man out of Italy.
You can’t take the Italy out of the man.
The End.
Ferrara - Coming Soon
Giuliano
I sit at the desk in Enrico Ferrara’s office.
He was murdered last week, and I don’t know why I’ve been brought here. I’m nervous that my mother made me come.
Does this have something to do with our fight last week at the library?
An elderly man sits down at the desk beside me, while two other men are sitting at the desk, also.
“My name is Lorenzo, and this is Andrea and Matteo.”